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Friday, July 15, 2011

Chicken Milanese


My Dad used to prepare Veal, Pork, Chicken, and Beef this way-- Milanese style--and it's my family's favorite now. Milanese Style simply means that it is a pounded, breaded, and sauteed cutlet of meat very similar to Wiener Schnitzel. Unlike  Veal or Pork Milanese I like to add some lemon zest to my chicken fillets along with the salt and pepper for added lemony goodness : )
You really can't go wrong in preparing meat in this manner just as long as you follow these 2 simple but important rules: pound them thin and don't over cook!
Ingredients & Tools
3 pie pans
skillet
cookie sheet lined with wax paper for easy clean up
Italian style bread crumbs: 2 cups
2 eggs beaten
2 cups all purpose flour
salt & pepper
6 chicken fillets boneless: pounded thin between 2 plastic wrap sheets to 1/3 inch thickness
olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
1 lemon cut into 6 wedges  (you can use the already zested lemon, no one will care : )
Directions
Pound the chicken  (This is the secret to great Milanese style meat: pounding it very thin and if it doesn't want to get thin enough it may be too cold so just let them sit out a bit to warm up.
Pat  them dry with a paper towel.
Now rub the salt, pepper, and lemon zest on each side generously.
In the 3 pie pans: place the flour in one, the eggs in the other, and the bread crumbs in the final one. Line them up in this order.
Also set up a cookie sheet with wax paper (this just makes for easy clean up) to set the raw breaded meat on.
Dip the chicken one at a time in the flour, then egg, and lastly in the bread crumbs and set on cookie sheet.
Heat up a skillet with about an inch of olive oil on medium/high heat.
Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning once, until it's no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, you can make a slit into the center to check. You can fry more than one at a time just make sure to not overcrowd the pan.
Transfer to a plate with paper towels  to drain.
Serve with lemon wedges!